Method and apparatus for providing game service in a portable terminal

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for providing a game in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes outputting an audio signal for indicating a specific indication through a speaker, obtaining user&#39;s motion data, and determining whether the user&#39;s motion data corresponds to the specific indication.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to a Korean patent application filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Sep. 10, 2009 and assigned Serial No. 10-2009-0085247, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for providing a game service in a portable terminal, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for providing games using motion detection.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various functions have been incorporated in portable terminals to satisfy various demands of users. For example, these functions not only include the general utilization of the portable terminals such as e-mails, Internet surfing, simple games, etc., but also include the reproduction of moving images such as movies or music videos, reproduction of Codec files such as MPEG audio layer III (MP3) or Windows Media Audio (WMA), and portable terminals equipped with cameras can also be taken into account. Therefore, recently portable terminals have evolved from a communication device for simple voice telephony to a digital convergence device that provides convenience and entertainment to users by integrating various useful functions.

In particular, in recently launched devices that appeal to users, the portable terminals can be used as portable game devices (e.g., Sony's PSP or Nintendo's NDS). Conventional portable game devices using portable terminals provide games which require the use of a keypad. For example, the portable terminal can provide a music game using the keypad in such a manner that a user presses a key button of the keypad while watching a bit indication displayed on a screen in accordance with the music. However, such a game has many disadvantages in that a user's behavior is limited during the game since the user has to press buttons one by one while watching the screen of the portable terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made to address at least the above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing games using motion detection in a portable terminal.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing games in a portable terminal, in which an audio signal is output to allow a user to perform a motion corresponding to the audio signal and to determine whether the motion is correctly performed.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing games in a portable terminal, in which sensor data is mapped to an audio signal and the mapped sensor data is compared with data obtained by detecting a user's motion.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of providing a game in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes outputting an audio signal for indicating a specific indication through a speaker, obtaining a user's motion data, and determining whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for providing a game in a portable terminal is provided. The apparatus includes an output unit for outputting an audio signal for indicating a specific indication through a speaker, a motion detection sensor for obtaining user's motion data, and a controller for determining whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 illustrates a process of performing a game by using motion detection in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar components may be designated by the same or similar reference numerals, although they are illustrated in different drawings. Further, detailed descriptions of constructions or processes known in the art may be omitted for clarity and conciseness in the description of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the portable terminal includes a motion detection sensor 100, an audio output unit 110, a controller 120, a memory 130, a display unit 140, and an input unit 150.

The motion detection sensor 100 measures a movement direction, an acceleration, a rotation direction, etc., resulted from a motion of a user of the portable terminal under the control of the controller 120 and provides the measurement result to the controller 120. The motion detection sensor 100 may include at least one of a gyro sensor, a terrestrial magnetism sensor, and an acceleration sensor.

The audio output unit 110 outputs an audio signal corresponding to music or sound to a speaker (not shown) during a specific time period or at specific time intervals under the control of the controller 120.

The controller 120 controls and processes an overall operation of the portable terminal. According to the present invention, the controller 120 includes a motion game controller 122 to output the audio signal. In this case, the controller 120 controls and processes a function for determining a score by detecting the motion of the user to determine whether the motion corresponding to the audio signal is correctly performed. That is, the motion game controller 122 loads music or sound pre-stored in the memory 130 and provides it to the audio output unit 110. Further, the motion game controller 122 obtains data in association with detection of the user's motion from the motion detection sensor 100 and compares the data with sensor data pre-mapped to the music or sound. The sensor data mapped to the music or sound may be predetermined. After detecting the music or sound, the motion game controller 122 may generate sensor data corresponding to the detection result according to a predetermined method or may determine the sensor data by selecting the sensor data corresponding to the detection result among the pre-stored sensor data. For example, sound corresponding to ‘to the right’ may be detected to generate sensor data to be generated when the portable terminal moves to the right, or sensor data corresponding to movement to the right may be searched for from a pre-stored sensor data table so that the found data is mapped to a signal corresponding to ‘to the right’.

The motion game controller 122 may determine a score according to whether the data obtained by detecting the user's motion matches the sensor data, or may determine the score according to similarity between the data obtained by detecting the user's motion and the sensor data. That is, a specific score may be given only when the data obtained by detecting the user's motion matches the sensor data and otherwise may not be given, or the score may be given depending on a level according to the similarity between the data obtained by detecting the user's motion and the sensor data. Of course, if a difference between the data obtained by detecting the user's motion and the sensor data is less than a threshold, it can be determined that the two pieces of data are identical.

In addition, the motion game controller 122 controls and processes a function for outputting sound, which indicates whether the user's motion is correctly performed, to the speaker (not shown) by loading the sound from the memory 130 according to the determined score.

The memory 130 stores various programs and data for an overall operation of the portable terminal. According to the present invention, the memory 130 stores music or sound. In this case, the music or sound stored in the memory 130 is stored by mapping to the sensor data for each specific duration. Further, the memory 130 stores sound which indicates accuracy of the user's motion.

The display unit 140 displays status information, alphanumeric characters, still images, and moving images generated during the operation of the portable terminal. In particular, the display unit 140 displays a music or sound list stored in the memory 130.

The input unit 150 includes a plurality of function keys to provide the controller 120 with data corresponding to keys to be selected by the user. In particular, an item is selected from the music or sound list displayed in the display unit 140 and is provided to the controller 120.

FIG. 2 illustrates a process of performing a game by using motion detection in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the portable terminal enters a game mode in step 201. Then, in step 203, the portable terminal displays an available music or sound list for the game on a screen so as to determine whether music or sound for the game is set by a user.

If the music or sound is set, proceeding to step 205, the portable terminal loads sensor data corresponding to the set music or sound. Herein, the sensor data corresponding to the music or sound may be predetermined, or may be generated in such a manner that the music or sound is detected by the motion game controller 122 and then is generated on the basis of the detection result according to a predetermined method, or may be selected from pre-stored sensor data. For example, sound corresponding to ‘to the right’ may be detected to generate sensor data to be generated when the portable terminal moves to the right, or sensor data corresponding to movement to the right may be searched for from a pre-stored sensor data table so that the found data is mapped to a signal corresponding to ‘to the right’.

In step 207, the portable terminal reproduces the set music or sound according to a predetermined rule and then outputs it through a speaker. In step 209, the portable terminal detects a user's motion by using the motion detection sensor 100. That is, the portable terminal measures a movement direction, an acceleration, a rotation direction, etc., resulted from a motion of the user of the portable terminal and generates data obtained by detecting the user's motion. Herein, the predetermined rule implies a method of continuously reproducing corresponding music or sound seamlessly or a method of reproducing a specific part of the music or sound in every specific interval.

In step 211, the portable terminal determines a score by comparing the loaded sensor data and the data obtained by detecting the user's motion. The portable terminal may determine a score according to whether the data obtained by detecting the user's motion matches the sensor data, or may determine the score according to similarity between the data obtained by detecting the user's motion and the sensor data. That is, a specific score may be given only when the data obtained by detecting the user's motion matches the sensor data and otherwise may not be given, or the score may be given depending on a level according to the similarity between the data obtained by detecting the user's motion and the sensor data. Of course, if a difference between the data obtained by detecting the user's motion and the sensor data is less than a threshold, it can be determined that the two pieces of data are identical.

In step 213, the portable terminal outputs sound which indicates accuracy of the motion according to the determined score. In step 215, the portable terminal evaluates whether reproduction of the set music or sound ends. If the reproduction of the set music or sound does not end, the process returns to step 207, and the subsequent steps are repeated. Otherwise, if the reproduction of the set music or sound ends, the process proceeds to step 217, where the portable terminal reports a final score to the user by using the determined score. In this case, the final score may be a score obtained by accumulating determined scores or may be an average score of the determined scores.

Thereafter, the procedure of FIG. 2 ends.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a portable terminal provides a game in such a manner that an audio signal is output to allow a user to perform a motion corresponding to the audio signal, a user's motion is detected by using a motion detection sensor, and the detection result is compared with sensor data mapped to the audio signal. Therefore, the user can enjoy the game without having to watch a screen.

While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims and their equivalents, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of providing a game in a portable terminal, the method comprising: outputting an audio signal for indicating a specific indication through a speaker; obtaining user's motion data; and determining whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user's motion data comprises at least one of a movement direction, an acceleration, and a rotation direction.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user's motion data is obtained by using at least one of a gyro sensor, a terrestrial magnetism sensor, and an acceleration sensor.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication comprises: obtaining sensor data corresponding to the specific indication; and comparing whether the obtained sensor data is identical to the user's motion data.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the sensor data corresponding to the specific indication comprises obtaining sensor data pre-mapped to the audio signal for indicating the specific indication.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the sensor data corresponding to the specific indication comprises: detecting the audio signal for indicating the specific indication; and determining sensor data corresponding to the detection result among pre-stored sensor data.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein obtaining the sensor data corresponding to the specific indication comprises: detecting the audio signal for indicating the specific indication; and generating sensor data corresponding to the detection result according to a predetermined rule.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a score according to whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting an audio signal indicating a result according to whether the user's motion data is an operation corresponding to the specific indication.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein an audio signal for indicating the specific indication is output during a specific time period or at specific time intervals.
 11. An apparatus for providing a game in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising: an output unit for outputting an audio signal for indicating a specific indication through a speaker; a motion detection sensor for obtaining a user's motion data; and a controller for determining whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the motion detection sensor obtains the user's motion data by measuring at least one of a movement direction, an acceleration, and a rotation direction.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the motion detection sensor comprises at least one of a gyro sensor, a terrestrial magnetism sensor, and an acceleration sensor.
 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller obtains sensor data corresponding to the specific indication, and compares whether the obtained sensor data is identical to the user's motion data.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller obtains sensor data pre-mapped to the audio signal for indicating the specific indication.
 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller detects the audio signal for indicating the specific indication, and determines sensor data corresponding to the detection result among pre-stored sensor data.
 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller detects the audio signal for indicating the specific indication, and generates sensor data corresponding to the detection result according to a predetermined rule.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller determines a score according to whether the user's motion data corresponds to the specific indication.
 19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the output unit outputs an audio signal for indicating a result according to whether the user's motion data is an operation corresponding to the specific indication.
 20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the output unit outputs an audio signal for indicating the specific indication during a specific time period or at specific time intervals. 